Exploring the Role of Spatial Configuration and Human Behavior on the Spread of the Epidemic

This research explores how exterior public space, defined through the configuration of the city, and human behavior affect the spread of disease. In order to understand the virus spreading mechanism and influencing factors of the epidemic which accompanying residents’ movement, this study attempts to reproduce the process of virus spreading in city areas through computer simulation. The simulation can be divided into residents movement simulation and the virus spreading simulation. First, the Agent-based model can effectively simulate the behavior of the individual and crowd, and real location data based on residents which uploaded by mobile phone applications is used as a behavioral driving force for the agent's movement. Second, a mathematical model of infectious diseases was constructed based on SIR (SEIR) Compartmental models in epidemiology. Finally, by analyzing the simulation results of the agent's movement in the city area and the virus spreading under different conditions, the influence of multiple factors of city configuration and human behavior on its spreading process is explored, and the effectiveness of countermeasures such as social distancing and lockdown are further demonstrated.